Even amid the AHL All-Star Classic break, the Hershey Bears weren’t able to dodge the continuing roster woes that have bedeviled them this season.

Goalie Dany Sabourin didn’t practice Thursday at Giant Center, and the club announced he will undergo knee surgery that is expected to sideline him for two to three months.

“It is a significant blow,” Bears head coach Mark French said.

“I guess that leaves an outside chance for a playoff run [return by Sabourin].”

The club didn’t reveal the nature of the surgery. A surgery date hasn’t been scheduled yet.

Sabourin (14-9-0), who wasn’t at Giant Center to comment on the injury, had won six straight starts. The 30-year-old made four consecutive starts in January when Braden Holtby was on recall to the Washington Capitals.

Holtby (knee) also didn’t practice Thursday and is listed as day-to-day. Todd Ford is scheduled to start for the Bears Friday night when they play the Albany Devils in Atlantic City.

“When we envisioned at the start of the year we were going to have Braden Holtby and Dany Sabourin as the two goalies, we knew that was going to be a real position of strength for us,” French said. “Now we don’t have that same type of position of strength.

“And that doesn’t say anything about Todd Ford. It’s just hard to replace a significant asset like Dany Sabourin, who’s been a real successful goalie at this level.”

French said the team hasn’t pinpointed when the injury might have occurred.

Sabourin did take a shot to the knee on Jan. 21 against Albany on a play that earned former Bears winger Louis Robitaille a major for charging the goaltender and a game misconduct. But Sabourin finished that game and went the distance in consecutive starts the next two nights.

Ford (1-0-0) has made two appearances for Hershey and drew his lone start on Oct. 31 in a 7-3 win against Manchester. He has gone 11-6-1 for South Carolina (ECHL) this season.

“These last couple weeks, coming back up here, I’ve just taken it day-by-day,” said Ford, recalled to Hershey on Jan. 21 after Holtby was summoned to Washington.

“I’m very eager about it. It’s a chance for me to prove myself. It’s a chance for me to come out here and get some games in at the AHL level and just play the way I know I can.”

Ford had 15 AHL appearances last season for Texas and Portland. The 26-year-old also started one playoff game for Portland.

“Certainly, if you talk to him, he feels he deserves an opportunity with his success at this level,” French said.

“If you look at it, he’s only had minimal games, but during those times he’s been successful and has had a pretty successful career at the ECHL level.”

It’s an opportunity to grab a foothold as Holtby’s backup.

“That obviously is the short-term way I’m approaching it,” French said. “I don’t know if there’s other long-term solutions to it. I think Todd Ford is more than capable and has shown that he probably deserves a little bit of an opportunity.”

Ray Emery might loom as an intriguing long-term possibility. The free agent, who hasn’t played this season in the wake of hip surgery, is exploring playing opportunities to get back to the NHL and could theoretically use an AHL stint as a launching pad.

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